Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s address at Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Namaste!
How are you all?
Hon'ble Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth ji, Director General of WHO Dr Tedros, zealous Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendra Bhai Patel, my Cabinet colleagues Sarbananda Sonowal ji, Mansukh Bhai Mandaviya ji, Mahendra Bhai Munjapara ji, all the diplomats, scientists, entrepreneurs and experts from the country and abroad, ladies and gentlemen!
I warmly welcome all of you to the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit. We have often seen that investment summits have been held for investing in different sectors and Gujarat in particular has carried on this tradition at a massive scale. But for the very first time, such an investment summit is being held exclusively for the AYUSH sector.
Friends,
The idea for such an investment summit occurred to me at a time when the whole world was under the grip of Corona. We all have seen that during that time, Ayurvedic medicines, Ayush decoction and many such products were helping people to boost their immunity. Consequently, during the corona period, the export of turmeric from India had increased manifold. This is the proof of its efficacy. During this period we have also seen that the modern pharma companies and vaccine manufacturers could do a commendable job when the investment was received at the right time. Who could have imagined that so soon we would be able to develop a 'Made in India' vaccine against Corona? Innovation and investment increase the potential of any sector manifold. Now the time has come to increase the investment in the AYUSH sector as much as possible. Today's occasion, this summit, is a great start.
Friends,
The possibilities of investment and innovation in the field of AYUSH are limitless. We are already witnessing unprecedented growth in the production of AYUSH medicines, supplements and cosmetics. You will be glad to know that even though before 2014 the AYUSH sector was worth less than $3 billion, today it has increased to more than $ 18 billion. As the demand for AYUSH products is increasing all over the world, this growth will increase further in the coming years. Be it nutritional supplements, supply chain management of medicines, AYUSH-based diagnostic tools, or telemedicine, there are new opportunities for investment and innovation everywhere.
Friends,
The Ministry of AYUSH has taken several major steps to encourage start-up culture in the field of Traditional Medicines. A few days back an incubation centre developed by All India Institute of Ayurveda has been inaugurated. A great enthusiasm has been seen in the youth about the start-up challenge which has been organized and is extremely encouraging. You, my young friends, know more that the golden era of India's start-up has started. In a way, this is the era of unicorns in India. It has not yet been 4 months since the year 2022 began; but this year so far 14 start-ups from India have joined the Unicorn Club. I am sure unicorns will also emerge from our AYUSH based start-ups very soon.
Friends,
India is a treasure trove of herbal plants and the Himalayas are known for this. It is our 'Green Gold' in a way. There is a saying here - अमंत्रं अक्षरं नास्ति, नास्ति मूलं अनौषधं। That is, there is not a single letter from which a mantra doesn't start; there is no root or herb from which a medicine can't be made. To use this natural wealth in the interest of humanity, our government is continuously encouraging the production of herbal and medicinal plants.
Friends,
The production of herbs and medicinal plants can be a good way of increasing the income and livelihood of the farmers. There is also a lot of scope for employment generation through this. But, we have seen that the market for such plants and products is very limited and specialized. It is crucial that the farmers involved in the production of medicinal plants should get the facility to easily connect with the market. The government is working at a faster pace on the modernization and expansion of AYUSH e-market place to achieve the same. Through this portal, farmers involved in the cultivation of herbs and medicinal plants will be linked with companies that manufacture AYUSH products.
Friends,
Unprecedented efforts have also been made in the past years to promote the export of AYUSH products. Emphasis has been laid on mutual recognition of AYUSH medicines with other countries. We have signed more than 50 MoUs with different countries in the last few years for the same. Our AYUSH experts are developing ISO standards in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards. This will open a huge export market for AYUSH in more than 150 countries. Similarly, FSSAI has also announced a new category 'AYUSH Aahaar' in its regulations last week. This will greatly facilitate the products of herbal nutritional supplements. I want to give you one more piece of information. India is also going to develop a special AYUSH mark, which will also have a global identity. The highest quality Ayush products made in India will bear this mark. This AYUSH mark will be equipped with the provisions of modern technology. This will give people all over the world the confidence of quality in AYUSH products. The recently formed AYUSH Export Promotion Council will also encourage exports and help in finding foreign markets.
Friends,
Today I am about to make another announcement before you. For the promotion of Ayush products across the country, our government will develop a network of Ayush Parks to promote research and manufacturing. These AYUSH parks will give a new direction to AYUSH manufacturing in the country.
Friends,
We have seen that today India has become a very attractive destination in terms of medical tourism for several countries of the world. Keeping that in mind, there is a lot of investment potential in this sector of medical tourism. We have seen how Traditional Medicine has helped in increasing tourism in Kerala. This power lies in the entire India, in every corner of India. 'Heal in India' can become the biggest brand of this decade. Wellness centres based on Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha etc. can be very popular. The rapidly developing modern connectivity infrastructure in the country will facilitate this further. As I said, today India is becoming an attractive destination for medical tourism. So as the foreign nationals want to come to India to take advantage of AYUSH therapy, the government is taking another initiative. Very soon, India is going to introduce a special AYUSH visa category. This will facilitate people to travel to India for AYUSH therapy.
Friends,
As we are talking about Ayurveda, today, I want to give you another very important information. I would also like to mention about my friend and former President of Kenya Raila Odinga and his daughter Rosemary. Rosemary, are you here? Yes, she is there. Rosemary, welcome to Gujarat. There is an interesting incident about Rosemary. I would definitely like to tell you. A few days ago, her father, my good friend Odinga ji had come to visit me in Delhi. It was a Sunday and we decided to spend some good time together as we were meeting after a long time. That is when he told me about the painful tragedy in Rosemary's life. He had become extremely emotional. He told me that Rosemary had some problem in her eye. She had undergone a surgery; it was probably a brain tumour. And Rosemary lost her eyes in that surgery. She could not see. Just imagine! If someone loses vision at this stage of life, how upset and disappointed a person would be. And as a father, my friend Odinga ji went to every part of the world. He was a very senior leader of Kenya, so it was not a difficult task for him to reach anywhere in the world. There is no major country in the world where Rosemary was not treated. But Rosemary could not see light. Eventually they got success in India and that too after Ayurveda treatment. Rosemary was given Ayurveda treatment and she regained her vision. She could see once again. Odinga ji told me that when she saw her children again for the first time, those moments were the golden moments of her life. I am glad that Rosemary is also participating in this summit today. Her sister is also here. Her sister is teaching traditional medicine now and tomorrow she is also going to share her experiences with you.
Friends,
India of the 21st century wants to move ahead by sharing its experiences and knowledge with the world. Our heritage is like a legacy to the entire humanity. We are the people who believe in 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. We are the people determined to ease the pain of the world. 'Sarve Santu Niramaya' is our life's mantra. Our Ayurveda is a symbol of our thousands of years old tradition and penance. We have been hearing through Ramayana that when Lakshman ji was injured, Hanuman ji had gone to the Himalayas to get herbs from there. Self-reliant India existed even in those times. One of the main reasons behind the growth of Ayurveda has been its open source model. Today there is a great deal of discussion about Open Source in the digital world and some people believe that it is their discovery. They do not know that the tradition of this open source has been there in this soil for thousands of years and Ayurveda has been fully developed in that open source tradition. In different periods, different people kept on adding their knowledge to that. That is, in a way, the movement for developing Ayurveda has been going on for thousands of years. New things have been added over a period of time. There is no bar. New ideas are always welcome. As time passed, the experience of different scholars and their research further strengthened Ayurveda. Even in today's time, we should work in the spirit of this intellectual openness while learning from our ancestors. The development and expansion of knowledge related to Traditional Medicines is possible only when we see them in a scientific spirit, mould them according to the country, time and circumstances.
Friends,
WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine has been inaugurated in Jamnagar yesterday. That is, it is a matter of great pride for every Indian, for every Gujarati as the Global Centre forTraditional Medicine is established in Jamnagar, in the soil of Gujarat. And today we are participating in the 1st AYUSH Innovation and Investment Summit. It is an auspicious beginning. India is celebrating the festival of 75 years of its independence i.e. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. I am sure that our 'Amrit Kaal' of next 25 years will be the golden period for traditional medicine in every nook and corner of the world. Today, in a way, a new era of traditional medicine has started all over the world. I am sure today's Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit will open new avenues for investment, trade and innovation in the field of AYUSH. I would definitely urge the guests of foreign countries who have come here today and those who have come from other parts of India for the first time to take out time and visit Dandi Kutir in this Mahatma Mandir. Mahatma Gandhi has been the pioneer of traditional medicines. Try to get to know Mahatma Gandhi closely in this 'Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal'. Don't let go of this opportunity. Today I want to share another happy news. Tedros, our Director General of WHO, has been a very good friend of mine and whenever we used to meet, he used to say one thing - "Modi ji, whatever I am, whatever I have learnt since childhood, Indian teachers had taught me. Indian teachers have played a major role at every crucial stage of my life and I am very proud to be associated with India". When he met me this morning, he said to me - "see, I have become a complete Gujarati". So he asked me to give him a Gujarati name. Even on stage, he was reminding me if the name has been decided or not. So today, on this holy land of Mahatma Gandhi, I name my best friend 'Tulsibhai' as a Gujarati. Tulsi is the plant that the present generation might be forgetting, but has been worshipped traditionally for generations together. It is placed in front of every house in India. Tulsi is that plant which is an important part of India's spiritual heritage. Hence, on this Ayurveda Summit, you will be glad to know that after Diwali there is a festival in which the wedding ceremony of Tulsi is celebrated in our country. That is, this Tulsi is related to Ayurveda and since it is a Gujarati name, adding 'bhai' becomes indispensable. Your attachment to Gujarat is very deep and you have been making attempts to speak Gujarati words every time. You have been constantly expressing your reverence towards the gurus who have taught you. It is indeed a great pleasure for me to call you 'Tulsibhai' from the holy land of this Mahatma Mandir. I once again express my heartfelt gratitude to both the dignitaries who have joined us here on this significant occasion. Thanks a lot!
Disclaimer: This is a translation of the Prime Minister’s address. The original speech is in Hindi and Gujarati languages.